Page notching device



June 21, 1949. F W; MUTH PAGE NOTCHING DEVICE Filed May 20, 1947 l unina $2115 im? 1mm N IN VEN TOR. /f'rd/P/f W Maf/7 Patented June 21, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT (IlFFICE.`

PAGE NOTCHING DEVICE-I Frank W. Muth, Green Island, N. Y. Application May 20, 1947, Serial'No. 749,281'

5 Claims. lv

In order to facilitate the turning of the pages iniabook or the like, itis very convenient to have arcuate notches cut in'the marginal edges thereof into which the thumb may be inserted to hold the pages underneath the notched page to prevent their turning when the notched page is turned. My invention, therefore, relates to a device of this character which may be used to cut an arcuate notch in the marginal edge of a book page or the like.

(nekv oflv the objects oi my invention is to provide a device of" this character of extremely simple construction which can be made and sold very cheaplyand'yet will function eliciently for the intended purpose.. Another object is to provide a device of this character in which the two principal elements can be readily molded from a hard plastic material and in which the few parts may be readily assembled in a novel manner.

I accomplish these objects by mean-s of the novel elements and the combinations and arrangements thereof described below and illustrated inltheaccompanying' drawing in which- Fig. lis atop plan view of my device;

Fig. 2 is a-section of Fig. 1 in the plane 2 2;

Fig. 3 is a leftahand'side elevation view of the device, as shown in Fig. 2, with the outer cylinder shown in section in avertical plane through tl'le'axisV thereof Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation the device showing how the inner cylinder is temporarily flexed or deformed in order to insert it telescopically into the outer cylinder in assembling the device;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary the device; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a sheet of paper such as book page having a notch cut in the marginal edge thereof by my device.

Referring to the drawings- My device comprises an outer tubular element I, the inner surface of which is cylindrical and which is provided with a transversely-extending slot 2 therein in which the page or sheet to be notched is inserted. The inner bottom edge or line of intersection 8 of the bottom of the slot 2 with the inner surface of the tubular element l forms one cutting edge of a shear. In order to facilitate the` insertion of the page in the slot 2, the entrance to the slot may be splayed, as shown at 3. The tubular element I, above the center of the entrance to the slot 2 may be provided with an outwardly-extending projection Il, and the entrance to the slot along the lower edge thereof may have a circumferentially extending lip 5.

front elevation view of View of cylindrical member In the side of the tubular element I and diametrically opposite the center of the entrance to the slot 2, the element I isprovided with a longitudinally-extending slot 6 which is closed at the top,

as shown at' l, and which may, if desired, be

closed also at lthe bottom.

Closely but slidably tted within the outer tubular elementv I is an'inner cylindrical, inverted, cup-like element 9 which is close-d at the top by a head I0, a portion beyond the periphery or"V the cylinder, as shown in Figs. 1, Zand 4, to form a thumb grip. The skirt-like, depending portion of the element 9 is provided with a cutting edge I2, as shown in Figsl 2, 3' and 4, which is adapted to cooperate tween the point I3 of the cutting edge l2 and the projection I4, the inner element 9 is provided with substantially diametrically opposed, longitudinelly-extending slots I5; open at the bottom, and

against one side It of which the pin l'I is adapted to ride. The pin I'I extends substantially diametrically across the interior of the outer element I and is press-fitted, or otherwise secured, in the sides thereof.

In order normally to maintain the cutting edges 8 and I2 in spaced relation, as shown in Fig. 2, a light, helical spring I8, having an eye I9 in one end thereof through which the pin I'I passes, is compressed between the pin I'I and the inside of the head I.

As pointed out above, both the inner and outer cylindrical members may be formed of a hard, plastic material or may be of metal, if desired. The slots I5 in the skirt of member 9, together with the resiliency `of the material of which the member 9 is formed, make it possible temporarily to flex or deform the skirt of the member 9, as best shown in Fig. 4, so that it becomes possible to assemble the device rst by positioning the pin I1 with the spring in engagement therewith and then pushing the inner cylindrical member 9 downwardly over the spring and into the outer in the manner shown in Fig. 4 I4 of the inner member snaps In order to until the projection into the slot in the outer member.

I I of'which projects outwardlyslidably to internt the slot t in the outer element I. About midway bedisassemble the parts, it is necessary to push the projection I4 inwardly by inserting a suitable tool through the slot 8 in contact with the projection I4 unti1 the top of the projection I4 clears the closure 'I at the top of the slot 6, whereupon the cylindrical members may be pulled apart.

In use, the edge 2U of the sheet or page to be cut is inserted in the slot 2 and the member 9 is simply pushed telescopically downwardly into the outer element I against the compression spring |18, thus causing the cutting edge I2 to pass by the cutting edge 8 and to shear out of the page a notch, such as shown at 2| in Fig. 6.

While I have described my invention in its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the words which I have used are words of description rather than of limitation and that changes within the purview of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of my invention in its broader aspects.

What I claim is:

1. A device adapted for cutting a notch in the marginal edge of a book page to facilitate turning said page; said device comprising a cylindrical tubular element having a transversely-extending slot therein adapted to receive the edge of the page to be notched with one of the interior edges defining said slots forming one of the cutting edges of a shear, a second cylindrical element closely but slidably fitted in said tubular element and provided with a cutting edge adapted to cooperate with the cutting edge on said tubular element to form said shear; said tubular element being provided with a longitudinally-extending slot therein, closed at least at one end, and said second cylindrical element being provided with a projection thereon slidable in said slot to prevent relative rotation of said cylindrical elements; and a spring biased normally to hold said cutting edges in spaced relation to each other to allow the edge of said page to be inserted in said transversely-extending slot between said cutting edges.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 in which the projection on said second cylindrical element is integral with said element.

3. A device adapted for cutting a notch in the marginal edge of a book page to facilitate turning said page; said device comprising an interiorly cylindrical element having a transversely-extending slot therein adapted to receive the edge of the page to be notched with one of the interior edges defining said slot forming one of the cutting edges of a shear, a second, exteriorly cylindrical element closely but slidably fitted in said rst mentioned element and provided with a cutting edge adapted to cooperate with the cutting edge on said rst mentioned element to form said shear; said interiorly cylindrical element having a longitudinally-extending slot therein closed at least at one end, and said second cylindrical element having a projection integral therewith and slidable in said slot to maintain said cylindrical` elements in assembled relation; said second cylindrical element being formed of resilient material adapting it to be temporarily deformed, whereby said device may be assembled by telescopically pushing said second cylindrical element into said interiorly cylindrical element until said projection Snaps into said longitudinallyextending slot in said interiorly cylindrical element; and a spring biased normally to hold said4 cutting edges in spaced relation to each other to allow the edges of said page to be inserted in said transversely-extending slot between said` cutting edges.

4. The structure set forth in claim 1 in which the cylindrical elements are formed of a hard plastic material.

5. The structure set forth in claim 3 in which the cylindrical elements are formed of a hard plaster material.

FRANK W. MUTH.

REFERENCES CITED The follolwing references are of record in the lle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,419,620 Erickson June 13, 1922 1,447,247 Hilsdorf Mar. 6, 1923 1,947,856 Krakan Feb. 20, 1934 2,051,139 Griiith Aug. 18, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 534,566 Great Britain Mar. 10, 1941 

